Somebody said it has been 12 weeks now since 'lockdown' started and our labs stopped being our workplace (I have to admit that I never really started counting, just couldn't see the point). Is that a long time or not that long? I know I have got some things done, and others have stubbornly refused to leave my (home) desk despite serious efforts. There have been many lovely things happening, a couple of really exciting new collaborative applications. Some excellent work from the group who have been magnificent in their ability to take this all in their stride. Our final year vets have all passed their exams in unpredictable circumstances! Personally I have had the wonderful experience of having both my sons at home with me for some time when I had previously worried that the empty nest was my next chapter.
The labs are gradually being re-tuned to be functional and much deliberation and preparation has been going into the process of returning to research in a Covid19 compliant manner - described obliquely as 'new ways of working'. The upshot is that labwork will need to be planned and very focused with limited time-slots available for these types of activities. I imagine as with most things this will become routine and acceptable. For those of us who routinely spent every waking hour in the lab as PhD students and postdocs it does seem like our world has undergone a significant remodel.
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